Volleyball

VOLLEYBALL SWEEPS BEACON INVITATIONAL

BOSTON, MA - Sophomore middle hitter Shannon Thompson (Moorpark, CA) averaged 4.67 kills and hit an impressive .564 on the day to lead the University of Massachusetts Boston women's volleyball team to a pair of victories at the 2010 Beacon Invitational today at the Clark Athletic Center on the campus of UMass Boston in Boston, MA. The Beacons defeated Wheaton College (MA) in their first match of the day, 25-16, 25-13, 25-14, and followed with a 25-12, 25-13, 25-14, win over Babson College to win their 10th straight match to improve to 17-1 on the season. UMass Boston, which received 32 votes in the most recent Division III American Volleyball Coaches Association national poll, is off to its best start in school history and has won 21 straight sets and 26 consecutive home matches, dating back to September 27, 2008 when it was last defeated by Keene State College, 3-1.

Babson finished at 1-1 on the day with an earlier victory over Kean University, 28-26, 14-25, 25-11, 25-18, and is now 8-10 on the season. Kean came back to take down Wheaton, 25-23, 25-23, 26-24, to improve to 12-13 overall, while Wheaton fell to 8-13 on the season.

Wheaton pulled to within 9-7 in the first set, but UMB reeled off five straight points, fueled by three aces from Thompson to take a 14-7 lead, en-route to a 25-16 first set win. The Beacons opened up a 14-5 advantage in the second set, before taking the frame, 25-13. UMass Boston held a 6-5 edge in the final set, before taking a 13-7 lead. The Beacons pulled away at 17-9 and took the set, 25-14 for the match win. Thompson and freshman outside hitter Corrine Porter (Huntington Beach, CA) each spiked for a dozen kills for UMass Boston, while Thompson hit .471 and Porter rung up a .385 mark. Thompson fired three aces to go with seven digs and three total blocks, while Porter served up a pair of aces and scooped up 10 digs for her sixth double-double of the season. Sophomore middle hitter Alexa Sullivan (South Dennis, MA) contributed with seven kills on a .417 hitting clip to go with a dig and a block solo. Sophomore setter Frana Burtness-Adams (Fairbanks, AK) and junior setter Cassy Hanneman (Denver, CO) were the consummate duo, combining for 29 assists, including a match-high 15 from Burtness-Adams to go with an ace, two digs and a kill in her only attempt. Hanneman got down for 10 digs as well. Sophomore libero Bethany Rossoll (Colorado Springs, CO) helped on the defensive end with nine digs and also served for an ace. Freshman outside hitter Jackie Jones (Amherst, NH) and sophomore right side hitter Rachel Vergara (Needham, MA) led the Lyons with six kills apiece. Jones added four digs and a block assist to her afternoon, while Vergara came up with a pair of digs. Senior libero Kristen Hunt (Milford, CT) anchored the defense with a match-high 11 digs in addition to serving for an ace, while senior setter Becca Rose (Sudbury, MA) set for 11 assists to direct the offense.

The Beacons owned a 4-3 edge over Babson in the first set, but freshman outside hitter Amber Clemons (Simi Valley, CA) saw UMB score four unanswered points on her serve to take an 8-3 lead. UMass Boston later rallied for five straight points on Rossoll's service to open the margin to 15-6, before taking the opening frame, 25-12. The Beavers held a 6-4 lead in the middle set, before the Beacons reeled off nine straight points, including a pair of aces from Burtness-Adams, to take a 13-6 advantage. UMass Boston later strung together six straight points to take it to set point at 24-11, behind the service of Porter, before taking the set at 25-13. The Beacons opened a 9-3 lead in the third set and owned a 17-11 margin, before scoring five points in a row on Burtness-Adams' serve for a 22-11 lead and went on to win the frame, 25-14, to take the match. Thompson dominated with 16 kills and a torrid .636 hitting percentage to lead UMass Boston vs. Babson and added an ace and six digs, while Clemons swung for seven kills on a .462 hitting mark in addition to three total blocks and two digs. Hanneman paced the offense with 20 assists and added four digs, while Burtness-Adams set for 18 assists to go with a pair of aces and four digs. Porter finished with a team-high eight digs and four aces and added four kills. Junior outside hitter Nina Milovanovic (Belgrade, Serbia) led Babson with seven kills and added five digs, while sophomore middle blocker Cathy Tinker (Woodbridge, CT) chipped in with four kills and an ace. Sophomore setter Kathleen Lynch (Quincy, MA) put up 16 assists and scooped up a dig and junior outside hitter Meg Flaherty (Hollis, NH) anchored the defense with seven digs.

UMass Boston will be in action again on Tuesday, October 12 when it travels to North Dartmouth, MA to take on Little East Conference foe University of Massachusetts Dartmouth at 7:00 p.m., while Babson heads to Keene, NH on October 14 for a 7:00 p.m. tilt with Keene State College. Wheaton will be in action again on October 12 when it hosts Clark University at 7:00 p.m. and Kean travels to Jersey City, NJ on October 12 for a 7:00 p.m. match at New Jersey City University.